Six states approve controversial Marsy’s Law amendment
On November 6, voters in six states, including Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, approved a controversial ballot measure known as Marsy’s Law amendment, a model amendment that typically provides a set of constitutional protections for crime victims. Five of these states will now alter their constitutions to include the proposed changes.The model...
ToRead the Full Story, Subscribe to
Access the exclusive LEGAL ERAStories,Editorial and Expert Opinion
On November 6, voters in six states, including Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, approved a controversial ballot measure known as Marsy’s Law amendment, a model amendment that typically provides a set of constitutional protections for crime victims. Five of these states will now alter their constitutions to include the proposed changes.
The model amendment includes provisions for:
• right to be notified about and present at proceedings against the perpetrator
• right to be involved in release and sentencing of the perpetrator
• right to be protected from the accused
• right to receive restitution
The model amendment expands the definition of the term “victim” to include: those directly affected by the crime and any “spouse, parent, grandparent, child, sibling, grandchild, or guardian, and any person with a relationship to the victim that is substantially similar to a listed relationship.”
However, the American Civil Liberties Union opposed Marsy's Law, calling it "poorly drafted" and "a threat to existing constitutional rights."
